A Magnetic Personality
by Dolphingirl32173
Summary: In which Bonnie and Elena's magical experiment with a compass doesn't go quite as planned, which is no big deal … until Damon finds out. Damon/Elena
1. The Spelled Compass

A Magnetic Personality  
DG32173

Sarah: just something I thought up with my beta that was influenced by both _Pirates of the Caribbean_ and a short fanfic I once read several years ago. This was started way back around the year 2015ish, but has only just now had the inspiration to finish the first chapter. Anyways, I hope you enjoy.

_**CREDIT**_  
Credit goes to my darling beta _crzykittyfangirl_ for her help in making my stories the best they can be. Credit also goes to _Zoraya Windwalker_ for their fanfic _"The hearts true desire"._ Go read it, it's awesome. That story inspired the compass part of this story.

_**DISCLAIMER**_  
If I own it, I'll claim it before the chapter it appears in. If I'm inspired to write it by someone, I will put a credit section like the above. This story as it is written belongs to me. If none of the above applies, it's safe to say that I don't own it nor was I inspired to write about it by anyone.

_**ALTERNATE UNIVERSE ALERT! PLEASE READ!**_  
Okay, I hope everyone at least stops here to read the background info of the universe this story takes place in before continuing to the story. In this story's universe, Elena never forgave Stefan for hiding the fact that she could pass for Katherine's twin from her. So she never got back with him after she and Damon got back from Georgia. Rather than going along with Stefan's attempt at subterfuge in regards to helping Damon open the tomb, Elena was determined to help Damon get into the tomb. She just pretended to go along with Stefan to act as Damon's spy on the liar in case Stefan finds the hiding spot of the grimoire first. Elena managed to get Sheila's full cooperation in opening the tomb and lifting the seal, though it cost Sheila her life. Pearl was the only tomb vampire to survive the opening of the tomb because the others were burned. Upon finding out that Katherine was never in the tomb, Damon realized that Katherine was not worth his time. He realizes that the close bond he had developed with Elena was a lot more than mere friendship. So he's determined to make the suddenly gun-shy girl his. Isobel does not appear in this fanfic and John is unable to get his hands on the device that will cripple all vampires within a five-mile radius because Pearl crushes the thing into a little ball of metal. Be aware that Mayor Lockwood will die in this fanfic but not because of the device. Bonnie's grudge against the Salvatores isn't nearly as strong as in the show because they did follow through with their end of the deal and destroyed all but one tomb vampire.

_**WARNINGS**_  
Other than the above, this is rated M for more than just my sanity. Alternating viewpoints between Elena and Damon. This chapter starts with Elena.

_**SUMMARY**_  
In which Bonnie and Elena's magical experiment with a compass doesn't go quite as planned, which is no big deal … until Damon finds out. _**Damon/Elena**_

* * *

Chapter 1  
The Spelled Compass

"So why did you want me to bring all this stuff?" I ask Bonnie as I carry a large duffel bag crammed with a variety of items into the house that Grams had left Bonnie. Her dad is never happy when Bonnie practiced her magic in his house so Bonnie always came to Grams' to practice.

"Since I come from a long line of witches that have created spells of their own for centuries, I figured with the tutelage of all these grimoires Grams had collected, I might be able to practice creating my own spells," she says.

"Does the fact that you're asking my help mean you forgive me for my part in Grams' death?" I ask warily.

She sighs. "I've decided that given how experienced Grams was, she _had_ to have known what would happen if she performed that spell even with help," she admits. "Let's start with the compass. You did bring one, right?" she asks, leading me into the living room.

"I managed to find the one I got in girl scouts," I say, digging it out of the duffel bag and handing it over. "What do you plan on doing with it?"

"Well, I watched the second _Pirates of the Caribbean_ again last night and it gave me an idea," Bonnie replies.

"You mean Jack Sparrow's compass? You want to make my compass seek out the heart's desire of whoever is holding it?"

"Not exactly," Bonnie says slowly.

I raise an eyebrow. "What then?" I ask, my curiosity eating me alive. There's a reason Damon's nickname for me is 'kitten', after all.

"I want to spell it so it will seek out the soul mate of the holder," she replies. "I always thought Jack and Elizabeth should have gotten together instead of Will and Elizabeth."

I frown. "Are you sure that's a good idea?" I ask.

"I mean, it will be my first ever original spell, so there is a chance something could go wrong," she admits. "But we won't know if we don't try."

I take a moment to contemplate possible repercussions of this spell. "I just hope the compass doesn't decide _Stefan's_ my soul mate," I say at last, handing over my compass. "Let's do this. I'm eager to find out who my soul mate is."

It doesn't take Bonnie long to cast the spell on the compass. She hands it to me. I watch as the compass swings around from pointing north to pointing south-west, in the direction of town hall. I frown in confusion. Who could be in that direction that would be my soul mate? I know Damon's got a secret council meeting right now at town hall but I dismiss thoughts of him. He's still getting over Katherine's betrayal, after all. He's not yet ready to move on.

"I'll follow this later," I decide after a moment.

Bonnie and I continue enchanting the other odds and ends she had me bring for the rest of the afternoon, relishing in our renewed friendship.

It's only after I leave with a bag of enchanted items that I decide to follow the compass, see where it's leading me. I pull it out of the bag and put it on the dash. It leads me straight to The Grill. I notice Damon's car is in the parking lot. I squash the little butterflies that enter my stomach at the thought of seeing him again. The compass might not be pointing to him, after all.

After locking my car, I follow the compass inside. I notice there's not a lot of people around right now, which is unusual for a Saturday night. The only one in the direction the compass is pointing is Damon, who's seated at the bar sipping at a glass of bourbon. I tuck the compass in my pocket and make my way over to sit next to him, deciding to think on the fact that Bonnie's spell made the compass lead me to Damon later.

"Hey, Damon," I greet as I signal the bartender. He motions that he'll be right with me.

"Elena, to what do I owe the pleasure of your company?" he asks with a smirk.

I decide to share with him what I've discovered about my birth mother. "So, thanks to Jenna's help, I've discovered who my birth mom is," I tell him.

"Why do you care? She left you, she sucks," he interrupts, taking a sip of his drink.

"Yeah, well, I still want to meet her, to find out _why_ she abandoned me," I reply. "Anyways, her name was Isobel." I frown when I notice a strange look pass briefly over Damon's face before he wipes it away. "Jenna talked to my history teacher about her and discovered that Rick was actually married to her at one point but she vanished one night. He suspects foul play but her body has never been recovered. But Rick's not my birth father, it turns out. He claims he never even knew she _ever_ had a child, much less when she was only fifteen."

Damon opens his mouth to say something but the bartender showing up interrupts whatever he had been about to say. I order a burger, fries, and a glass of sweet tea for my dinner, telling him no pickles on the burger. Damon chuckles, obviously remembering our frequent debates on the pros and cons of pickles. I hate them, Damon loves them. Enough said. It's one of the few things we disagree on but we both have a blast even at the height of 'arguing' over it.

I enjoy a companionable silence with Damon as I eat my dinner. After I finish, I stay there, right next to him. Suddenly, Damon speaks. "Elena, we need to talk," he says softly.

I turn to him in surprise. I notice that strange look is back in his eyes, the one I had noticed appear when I mentioned my birth mother's name. "What about?" I ask.

"Not here. Too many prying eyes and ears," he says.

I notice that The Grill had filled up a bit while I was eating. I realize that whatever Damon wants to talk about, it can't be conversed around people not in the know. I nod, pay my tab, and follow Damon outside to the alley behind the building.

"What is it?" I ask when we're alone.

"There's something you should know if you're going to continue looking for your birth mother," he says slowly, obviously picking his words with great care.

"What is it? Do you know her?" I ask.

"I _really_ hope not. But the name Isobel is uncommon enough that there's a chance I do," he says. "Long story short, a few years ago, I was in North Carolina when this woman walked up to me on the campus of Duke University. She introduced herself as Isobel and said she knew who and, more importantly, _what_ I was. She said that she had wanted to be a vampire for years, ever since she found out the truth. It took some convincing but I eventually came to like her audacity. So first I slept with her, then I turned her. Her husband walked in on us while I was draining her of blood so I vamped us both out of the house. After a few months of training, I abandoned her to either make it on her own or not. I never got a good look at her husband so I can't tell for sure if your history teacher was the same guy or not."

I'm silent as I absorb his words. Finally, I take a shaky breath. "Thank you for telling me this," I say softly. "It would have been nasty to discover this some other way."

"That is why I had to tell you. I didn't want you mad at me _again,"_ he replies.

I nod my understanding. I can't really hold a grudge against him for what he did. If she really was my birth mom, this had happened long before Damon and I ever met. At least he didn't _kill_ her, just turned her. There's a chance I can still track her down and get my answers. "Anything else you want to confess while we're here?" I ask, hoping that he'll take the opportunity to tell me about our true first meeting. Knowing Damon as well as I do now, I know damn well that 'first' meeting in the boarding house was staged and can't have been _truly_ the first time I met him. I know we _had_ to have met before that and he had made me forget for whatever reason.

"Nope," he replies, dashing my hopes. "Up for a game of pool? I promise I won't use my special abilities to cheat," he wheedles.

I roll my eyes but nod and follow him back inside to the pool tables. Damon never makes a promise he doesn't keep, I know that much about him. As promised, he plays the game with strictly human capabilities but still manages to beat me. He cajoles me into continuing our tournament until I have to leave to make it home for curfew. Some games I win, but most games he wins.

By the time I've finished my nightly routine and am in my bed ready to write my day in my journal, I decide _not_ to write about the compass Bonnie had spelled. Damon is in the habit of reading my journal and leaving little notes for me at the end. I'm going to keep at least _that_ secret from him as long as possible. But I _do_ write about everything else that had happened today, including going to The Grill and hanging out with Damon for most of the evening.

I had hidden my newly spelled compass in one of the few hidey holes I have that I don't _think_ Damon's found just yet. But just to be safe, I'm going to carry it with me from now on. Can't have him finding out about it.

* * *

Sarah: and there, finally, is the end of Chapter 1. Let me know what you think and how you think Elena should use her compass against Damon in future chapters. Who knows, maybe I'll even take one of your ideas and make a chapter revolving around it. Also tell me how you think Damon should end up finding out about the compass, because, as the summary says, he does inevitably find out about it. Just the when and how is up in the air right now. Review and tell me your thoughts. You never know, I might just give you a credit section dedicating a scene or even an entire chapter to you.


	2. Compass Side-Effects?

A Magnetic Personality  
DG32173

Sarah: here's Chapter 2. I'm not even going to say anything else except on with the review replies and the story.

_**REVIEW REPLIES**_

_ . :_ love the name. Glad you enjoyed the first chapter. And yeah, can't have Damon and Elena start of as enemies in _this_ one. Here's more.

_Imarifirst:_ still waiting on the PM you promised explaining what you don't like. I'm hoping as the story progresses, I'll explain away what's troubling you.

_Leann Nickerson:_ now that's a good idea. Wish I had thought of it instead of what I had come up with in a couple of chapters. But I had already written up to Chapter 4 before posting this story and Chapter 4 is when Damon finds out about the compass. I might have Elena get it back and use your idea for how Damon figures out its secrets, however. Here's more.

_amazing Aisha:_ oh, they'll accept it eventually, as you can tell by the pairing. Just the when and how are up in the air right now. Here's the next chapter.

_OlicityxSkyeWard:_ glad you enjoyed what I came up with so far. Here's the next chapter.

* * *

Chapter 2  
Compass Side-Effects?

After carrying the spelled compass around for only two days, I realize Bonnie must have tried doing more to it than she had told me she would, because I damn sure am noticing some _strange_ side-effects.

One side-effect of carrying it around is the near _constant_ urge to pull it out and follow it. That was _not_ part of what I agreed to let Bonnie do to my girl scouts compass! It's even distracting me in school! Another side-effect is that _who_ it led me to when I _did_ follow it is _never_ far from my thoughts, even more so now than before!

Before Bonnie spelled my compass and I followed it, I could usually succeed in keeping Damon from my thoughts for a _few_ hours at a time. Now, _every_ damn thought I have _somehow_ ends up leading straight to thoughts of him, no matter _how_ convoluted the process is. That's even _more_ distracting than the first side-effect!

By the end of school Monday, I decide to corner Bonnie and find out _what,_ exactly, she had spelled the compass to do. Because I don't dare leave it in my room where Damon will eventually find it, especially not with _these_ side-effects! Damon doesn't care one wit about the indecency of invading my privacy and going through my things when I'm not there to stop him. He'll eventually find _all_ my hidey-holes and what I store in each of them at the rate he's going.

Every time he discovers a new hidey-hole, he lets me know in his note that day in my journal. I'm down to just three hidey-holes he _doesn't_ know about yet. But I'm unwilling to take the chance that he won't find them soon. After he leaves a note telling me he's found a hidey-hole in my journal, I deliberately make a scoreboard right afterwards, awarding him a point for each hidey-hole he's found and me a point for each one that's still a secret so he knows exactly how many he has left to find. It's almost like a game between us. Given that all three hidey-holes he _hasn't_ found yet are either in or around my bed, it's only a matter of time before he realizes it and finds them.

So I can't risk this stupid compass falling into his hands. Not until I can get bonnie to reverse the side-effects of her spell. I make quick work of getting the books I will need for homework tonight before tracking down Bonnie. I manage to corner her at her car. "Bonnie, we need to talk," I hiss at her. "It's about that compass you spelled Saturday."

She pales, which makes me think she might have known there would be side-effects of her spell. "What about it?" she asks, trying to cover her reaction.

But she doesn't fool me. She knows _exactly_ what I'm talking about. "I'll meet you at Grams' because this can't be made public knowledge," I reply.

She sighs but nods. Not even ten minutes later, we're seated in the living room at Grams' house. "I want to know _exactly_ what you spelled the compass to do," I demand. "I've been experiencing side-effects from it the past two days that I in _no_ way agreed to."

"What sort of side-effects and when did they start?" she asks.

"They started almost immediately after I followed the compass after leaving here Saturday," I reply. "The compass led me directly to Damon. And now I keep getting the nearly irresistible urge to follow the compass to him again. I also can't get him out of my head for more than a _single_ thought which _somehow_ always leads me back to thoughts of _him._ Both side-effects are extremely distracting and I can hardly focus on _anything_ else because of them. I don't dare leave the compass in my room because Damon will be sure to find it and I don't want him to suffer these side-effects. So, what, _exactly,_ did you spell the compass to do, Bonnie? And is there a way to at least _lessen_ the intensity of the side-effects?"

As I speak, Bonnie gets paler and paler until she is a sickly shade of gray. "I never intended for those side-effects, Elena!" she protests. "You have to believe me on that! All I intended was for the compass to seek out the soul mate of the person carrying it! I didn't realize there would even _be_ side-effects if the person followed it but didn't immediately get with the person they were led to! I can _try_ to at least lessen the intensity of the side-effects, but I can't make any promises that more side-effects won't crop up because of meddling with the spell. I don't know if I can de-spell the compass successfully. I'm just too new at magic to make any guarantees."

I sigh, realizing she's right. She's new at magic, largely untrained, and has no older witch to train her. She's doing the best she can with just a houseful of old Grimiores to go by and no one to explain them to her. "Just do what you can. I _can't_ go another _day_ with these side-effects. They're just too distracting. Anything you can do to lessen the intensity of them will be appreciated," I tell her, handing over the compass. "Just do your best to keep other side-effects from popping up."

"As I said, I can't make any promises. But I'll do my best," she says, taking the compass. She closes her eyes and I feel her magic swirling around us as she starts muttering in Wiccan.

It isn't long before she's done and her magic curls back inside of her. She hands the compass back to me. "I did my best, but you'll have to let me know tomorrow if it works," she says.

"Well, let's try to get a study session in. Midterms are next week and at this rate, _Caroline_ will do better than _both_ of us on them," I say.

Bonnie chuckles and we hit the books. _Neither_ of us is willing to let Caroline beat us at school, no matter _how_ crazy our lives had gotten. The three of us have always been fiercely competitive at grades or any sort of competition we find ourselves in together.

Caroline will get highly suspicious something is up if she's suddenly doing better at school than we are. Bonnie has the excuse of her Grams' just dying unexpectedly. _I_ have _no_ excuse I can use convincingly. I didn't allow the death of my parents to mess with my perfect GPA so I can't allow what's going on now to affect it. I intend on being valedictorian of our graduating class and no excuse will be good enough to lose my perfect GPA, not even the truth.

Thankfully, whatever Bonnie did has allowed me to concentrate more fully on the work in front of me rather than every other thought being about Damon. It's still too early to tell if any other side-effects will crop up or not. Unfortunately, I still have the difficult-to-resist urge to pull out the compass and use it to track down Damon, but it's no longer _impossible_ to ignore. I just hope no other unbearable side-effects crop up.

After my study session with Bonnie, I decide that since I've resisted the urge for two days, I'll give in and track down Damon again. I pull out the compass after I get settled in the driver's seat of my car and follow it. Surprisingly, it leads me to Wickery Bridge. I see Damon leaning against the railing in the exact spot Dad had driven through all those months ago in that fateful crash. I pull over and put the car in park before pocketing the compass and my keys. Damon looks up as I open my door and get out.

"Hey," I say.

"Hey back," he replies in our typical greeting. "What are you doing here, Elena?"

"I could ask you the same thing," I retort, refusing to admit I was looking for him.

He chuckles and turns his attention back to the quarry water below. I move to lean against the railing next to him. We enjoy a companionable silence for a while, both of us luxuriating in each other's company. "You ever wonder how your life would be if that night had been altered even the slightest bit?" he asks suddenly.

I understand what he's asking immediately. "Constantly," I admit. "I run over so many different scenarios in my head of how that night could have been different. And I doubt I've even covered a fraction of the different paths that could have changed everything. But I always come to the same conclusion."

"What conclusion would that be?" he asks softly.

"There was some cosmic reason for that night happening the way it did that I doubt I'll ever understand," I reply. "For some reason, Fate or God or _something_ decreed that night happen in such-and-such a way. So it did. There have been times in my life that I've felt almost as if I were a puppet and someone or some_thing_ with unspeakable knowledge was pulling the strings of my life to _force_ certain events to happen the way they do. As soon as Matt asked me to the party that night, I felt that sensation and it didn't end until after the crash."

We're silent as he contemplates my words. "That's an interesting way to describe it," he admits finally. "But highly accurate. I've felt that way a time or two myself."

"Oh?" I ask, wondering if he'll share the details on one of those times.

"I'll tell you sometime," he promises. "For now we should head back. Mind if I catch a ride with you? I left my car at the Boarding House and I smell a storm coming on fast."

I grin. "Sure, come on," I say, heading back to my car. Damon falls in step beside me until we have to split up to take our seats.

I drive him back to the Boarding House. He's right about the storm; the rain starts falling heavily about three-quarts of the way there. Damon easily convinces me to come in for dinner in an effort to wait out the storm. I help him make egg fried rice. Just as we're sitting down to eat, a particularly _loud_ boom of thunder precedes the power going out.

"Wait here, I'll get some candles," Damon says. I obediently stay in my seat as the soft currents of wind tell me he had vamped from the room and returned almost as quickly. I blink when he suddenly strikes a match to light the candles he had arranged in the candelabrum in the middle of the dining room table.

We then proceed with our meal by candlelight. Afterwards, I place a quick call to Jenna to tell her I'm okay, that I'm at the Boarding House. She informs me power is out all over town and that I should just stay here tonight since the storm isn't scheduled to clear up until tomorrow afternoon. School has already been cancelled for tomorrow. I glance at Damon, who nods that it's okay with him, and I tell Jenna I will. We say a quick goodbye and hang up.

Ever since breaking up with Stefan, I have still come and spent the night here occasionally, visiting both brothers. The only difference is that I take the bedroom next to Damon's room rather than stay anywhere near Stefan's room. I still haven't seen the inside of Damon's room in all these months. He hasn't yet given me permission to enter his quarters and _I_ don't invade someone else's privacy without at least a first invitation to do so.

Quite a bit of my stuff has somehow migrated from my room at home to my room here without my remembering exactly how it all got here. But thanks to that, I have a few changes of PJs and several outfits waiting for me here should I need them.

However, I find I'm not ready to call it a night just yet, despite the storm knocking out the power and still raging strong outside. "Want to play a card game?" I ask Damon.

He smirks. "What sort of card game?" he asks.

"I want to teach you how to play my favorite card game. It's called War," I reply.

"I've heard of it but never played it," he admits. "Let me light the fireplace in the living room and fetch a pack of cards."

He picks up the candelabrum and leads me into the living room, where he uses one of the candles to light the fire. He then blows out the candles and sets the candelabrum on the mantle of the fireplace. Then he vamps from the room before reappearing with a pack of cards.

We take seats on opposite sides of the coffee table. "The rules of War are relatively simple," I start. "You have to deal out the entire deck between the players. No one can look at their cards. They simple put them in a pile facedown in front of them. The game is best played with two to four players. Once all the cards are dealt out, each player flips over the top card on their pile. The lowest scoring card is a two and the highest is an ace. The person with the highest score wins all the face up cards. If there is a tie for high card, those with the tie deal out three cards facedown and flip over the fourth card. This continues until there is a clear winner. Winner takes _all_ the cards, including the ones that were facedown in the wars. If at the end of the first pile of cards, there are still more than one person with cards, those with cards still shuffle their cards and place them facedown in a pile and repeat the process. To win, you have to win the entire deck from the other players."

Damon chuckles. "Sounds like a fun game, if long," he says.

"It can get pretty lengthy, depending on the luck of the players. One game I was in three summers ago with Bonnie and Caroline actually lasted nearly four days of a weeklong sleepover at Caroline's. I finally won by throwing down a five on Caroline's last card of a three. Bonnie had lost her last card to me nearly five hours before. I'll tell you now, I have _never_ lost a game of War I've been in, which is one reason it's my favorite card game," I reply.

"Time to break that winning streak, then," Damon teases. "I'm feeling lucky tonight."

"May the best player win," I retort as he shuffles and deals out the cards.

"Oh, I intend to," he replies cheekily.

It isn't long before the game heats up, as it does every time I'm involved in it. Still it takes several hours of tension-packed wars and shouts of triumph and groans of defeat for me to realize I have finally met my match in this game. In the end, sometime around midnight, I actually _do_ face my very first loss in my favorite card game, with Damon throwing down an eight to my last card of a seven.

"Good game," I concede. I'm a gracious loser, thankfully. But still, my competitive streak has me adding, "I won't lose next time."

"Care to go again?" he asks, a wicked gleam in his eyes.

I shake my head. "Not tonight. I'll let you savor your victory for tonight," I reply before being interrupted by a yawn. "It's late. Even if there's no school tomorrow, I still need sleep."

Damon nods and relights a candle at the fireplace before properly banking the fire. Then he guides my upstairs to my room. The power is _still_ out and the storm is _still_ raging outside. Maybe one day I'll know my way around the Boarding House well enough to make my way around without a light, but I'm not at that point just yet. I follow Damon upstairs and take the candle from him at my door.

"Goodnight, Damon," I say softly.

"Goodnight, Elena," he replies just as softly before continuing down the hall to his rooms.

As with every other time before, I get an unsettling sense of déjà vu when Damon bids me goodnight, as if he's said it to me in a time and place beyond recall. That's another reason I'm _certain_ that first visit to the Boarding House was _not_ the first time I met Damon. I wonder if he's ever going to get around to returning the memory of our _true_ first meeting. But once again, I don't let him know I _know_ he's compelled me to forget at least one memory. There's no point in it until he's ready to return the memory.

With a sigh, I secure the candle in the sconce next to my bed before changing my clothes for bed. I slip the troublesome compass under my pillows as the best hiding place for now. Its weird side-effects don't bother me when I'm around Damon. Just when I haven't been around him for a couple of hours. I blow out the candle before climbing into bed, half-wishing it was Damon's bed I was climbing into and his arms I was spending the night in. But he's given me no sign that he's willing to move on from Katherine's betrayal with me. And until I receive _some_ sign he wants me, I have to keep my feelings for him bottled up. I won't risk chasing him off.

With these thoughts, I slip off to the realm of dreams, where he takes a starring role as he has every night since our 'first' meeting.

* * *

Sarah: once again, what I had written was much longer on paper than it turned out to be typed up. Anyways, I hope everyone liked the side-effects my muse had come up with. Don't worry, lovelies, you haven't seen _all_ that is the result of the spell on the compass. There is more to come next chapter. Until then, review and tell me what you think. Also, we will finally be getting Damon's view next chapter. What will he have to say? You'll have to find out next time!


	3. The Compass Gets Weirder

A Magnetic Personality  
DG32173

Sarah: welcome back to Chapter 3 of _A Magnetic Personality._ In this chapter, we finally get to see into Damon's view. I'm sure you'll enjoy what he has to say. No, he won't find out about the compass _just_ yet, but even he will be feeling the side-effects of the spell on it. That's all I'm going to say until the chapter, so review replies then on with the story. Chapter starts with Elena.

_**REVIEW REPLIES**_

_ladymadonnav:_ I'm glad. Here's more.

_Leann Nickerson:_ oh, what a great idea. I'll consider it. And yeah, Elena's words that nothing bad ever happens in Mystic Falls sure did jinx the town. Here's the next chapter.

_OlicityxSkyeWard:_ agreed, Damon is easily enough distraction all on his own, without the help of a spell. Damon's view starts later this chapter so you don't have to wait long.

* * *

Chapter 3  
The Compass Gets Weirder

It's been nearly a week since the sudden storm trapped me at the Boarding House with Damon. And in that time, the side-effects I get from the spelled compass have just gotten weirder and more annoying. One new side-effect that's popped up is that I seem even _more_ attuned to when Damon is near than I was before. Before, I'd always know when I entered a room Damon was in or he'd enter a room I was in. _Now,_ I can sense _exactly_ where in that room Damon happens to be at any given time, no matter how many other people are in the room with us. That's not so bad, all things considering.

But another new side-effect I _don't_ like is that the stupid compass is now invading my dreams when I'm asleep and somehow showing me the path I would follow if I were awake and following it to Damon. That wouldn't be so bad if it weren't for the fact that every time I have these new, invasive dreams, I wake up partway through them and find myself clutching the compass, at the spot in the real world I would have been at in the dream when I woke up. I've never been one to sleepwalk. And now I find myself doing it nearly every night! It's like the damn thing has become sentient somehow and is _determined_ to get me to Damon, awake or asleep. That's a damn scary prospect. I _don't_ want an inanimate object trying to control me!

This has only happened since Bonnie meddled with the spell the second time. I don't dare tell her about these new side-effects of her magic because she'll want to try to fix it and I don't want to find out what else she'll wake up in this compass in the process. Who knows what _other_ side-effects are dormant right now? I don't want to take the risk of even more disturbing side-effects waking up.

So I suffer in silence. I told Bonnie that nothing happened that I couldn't handle. Her relief was palpable, making me feel guilty for the lie. But each of the previous times she cast a spell on the compass, I got disturbing side-effects. I don't want to find out what will side-effects wake up if she meddles with it again. I'm not sure I could handle anything else coming from it.

Somehow, I've still managed to keep the compass a secret from Damon. But I know that if I don't find a way to curb the sleepwalking, he'll find out about it sooner rather than later. And I have no idea how he'll react to the fact that a spell Bonnie put on my compass says he's my soul mate and is driving me to seek him out. He might be amused. Or he might be angry. His reaction depends on how he feels about me. And I just don't know that right now.

Currently, I'm at The Grill, having an early dinner of a burger and fries. I feel my lips curl into a smile as I sense Damon enter the building and make his way towards my table. Over the past week, _he's_ been seeking me out nearly every day. Maybe it's another side-effect of the compass. Then again, maybe he just wants my company a lot in the past week. I have no way of knowing for sure either way.

He slides right into the booth across from me without asking permission, causing me to chuckle. He grins. He knows what I find so amusing. "Hey," he says.

"Hey back," I reply. "What have you been up to today?" I ask.

He grimaces. "Cleaning," he says shortly. "If it was up to Stefan, the whole damn boarding house would be as dusty and cluttered as his room. Considering it was _my_ money that built it and it's _my_ money that pays the bills, I won't stand for it. How was school?"

"Midterms started today," I reply. "Keeping a perfect GPA is difficult enough without everything else that's been going on with my life. But if I allow my grades to slip, Caroline will be sure to wonder what's up. She, Bonnie, and I have always had a competition over who gets the best grades in school, ever since the first day of kindergarten. I've always come out on top, with Bonnie right behind me and Caroline right behind her, followed by the rest of the school. I didn't even let the crash in May mess with my grades. So Caroline would _know_ something's up if I let my grades falter now."

He nods his understanding. "How was today's exam?" he asks, already knowing from previous conversations that we only get one midterm exam a day. Having only four classes per semester allows for that and exams are over by Friday.

"It was in English and it was a breeze. What I'm _not_ looking forward to is my French exam on Thursday. I don't know _why_ I ever signed up for that elective," I say. "I know I'll pass it, but the study hours I'm putting into just that class is ridiculous. I know I needed a language elective to graduate, but I should have chosen something else."

**Damon**

As Elena talks, I wonder again about why I've been driven to the point of compulsiveness to seek her out for the past week. Sure, I enjoy her company. And sure, I have found myself even more head-over-heels in love with her than I ever was with Katherine. But _something_ is giving me the nearly twenty-four-seven urge to be in her company. The urge only disappears when I actually _do_ seek her out. All I know is that urge is being caused by something outside of me and I'm not happy about being manipulated, even if it's to do something I would want to do anyways.

I also know that Elena's hiding something from me. I don't know what, _yet._ But I can tell she's watching her words around me and is carrying _something_ around in her pocket all the time. Whatever it is, it's small enough that it doesn't make an impression on her jeans pocket. I've watched her check her pocket almost religiously over the past week, as if making sure whatever she's hiding is still there.

I'll let her keep her secret for now. After all, I'm still keeping one major secret from her. I know she's got her suspicions about our 'first' meeting at the boarding house not being our _true_ first meeting. But I'm not yet ready to reveal my hand to her. I'm still working on getting a royal flush in hearts with her.

"I'm pretty fluent in French," I admit. "I could help tutor you."

She smiles. "That would be wonderful, thanks Damon," she says.

"No time like the present. Get out your book and notes and let's get started," I say. "By the time you take your exam on Thursday, I intend to have you getting a perfect score, not just merely 'passing'."

She chuckles and obeys. As we bend our heads over her book, I feel my typical smirk relax into a true smile of happiness. It's always a joy to be around Elena, no matter whether we're bickering over the Pickle Debate or merely getting to know each other.

But even as I keep most of my focus on tutoring her in the convolutions of the French language, I _still_ wonder in the back of my mind how she had figured out where I was last Monday when she showed up at Wickery Bridge at the perfect time to keep me from getting soaked on the run home. Maybe if I figured out her secret, I'd know. But I know that's not happening anytime soon. She's even made sure to keep her secret _out_ of her journal, though I can tell by the words she does choose to write that she's getting closer and closer to admitting what her _real_ feelings for me are.

I can tell just by her notes that Mystic Falls High had gotten a _true_ French teacher, not a Cajun like most high schools in America make do with these days. That makes me glad. Though she's struggling, she'll be speaking proper French by the end of the class, _not_ filled with all that slang that Cajuns use rather than proper French terms and phrases.

Sadly, even though we spend hours in that booth pouring over her notes and book, she still has to leave for curfew far sooner than I would have preferred. I walk her out to her car and watch her drive away until after she's turned off the main street through town. Only then do I make my way to my car and head home. But as is becoming clearer and clearer, the more I think of home, the less often that thought is in conjunction with the Salvatore Boarding House, as had been true since it was built in 1912.

No, now thoughts of home more and more often bring to mind Elena's image as my heart gets more and more wrapped around her little finger. She now has the power to destroy me in a way Katherine never could have. That's why I have to be very careful to have a royal flush in hearts in my hand _before_ I let her know how I feel about her. She's getting there, as her journal entries prove, but I can tell she's not _fully_ there just yet. And until she _is_ fully there, I can't risk letting her know how I feel.

* * *

Sarah: sadly, that was even _shorter_ than the previous two chapters. But that's where I'm leaving off. Review and tell me what you think of Damon's perspective finally coming into play and these _new_ side-effects of the compass spell. Until next time.


	4. Damon Finds Out

A Magnetic Personality  
DG32173

Sarah: welcome to Chapter 4, which was completed before the first chapter was ever posted. I'm hoping everyone is enjoying the tale I am weaving here. Anyways, review replies and then the chapter. The chapter starts with Damon.

_**REVIEW REPLIES**_

_OlicityxSkyeward:_ I think that's how it happened, too. Sadly, French studies won't be making too much of an appearance as I have no idea how to speak the language. I just know she took the class because it was one of the classes Stefan shared with her in Season 1. Thanks for the review. Here's more.

_Leann Nickerson:_ yep, compass wants them together. One of them _will_ have to be brave and confess how they feel to the other. No, he _won't_ be happy about the compass but what's he to do? He 'borrows' it this chapter but won't find out what it does until next chapter. Thanks for the review. Here's the next chapter.

_shnicky87:_ oh, he's going to be affected by the compass even more after this chapter. No spoilers, so you'll have to wait and see what happens when it happens. Hope you enjoy it as much as you enjoyed the previous chapters. Here's the update.

_Nymous44:_ thanks, glad you like what you've read. Here's more.

* * *

Chapter 4  
Damon Finds Out

As I enter Elena's room via her window, I immediately notice that part of her floor is slightly raised. Now that's not safe. As I approach the raised section of floor, I notice a weather-tight seal around the edges. I smirk. That seal tells me Elena forgot to completely close one of the hidey-holes I haven't yet found. Score another point for me.

I raise what turns out to be a trapdoor and examine the cubbyhole beneath. I notice that the bottom of the cubbyhole has its own floorboards, reinforcing the ceiling of the room below. I carefully lower myself into the compartment and begin going through the contents of the shelves lining the 'walls' of the cubbyhole. Towards the end of my investigation, I find what is obviously a new addition to the hidey-hole: a seemingly innocuous compass. Given how disturbed the dust on the shelf around it is, I have a feeling this compass is at the heart of whatever secret Elena is keeping.

Curious as to what could be so special about the compass that Elena would spend two weeks carrying it with her, I pocket it and continue going through her things. Once I'm done, I use the strength of my arms to lift myself out of the hidey-hole. I securely close the trapdoor before grabbing Elena's journal from her nightstand and read the past few days worth of entries. Then I grab her pen and begin writing my message to her.

_Elena,_

_Found another hidey-hole of yours because you left that lovely trapdoor cracked. Score another point for me. That's a nicely constructed hidey-hole. Did your father help you make it? It looks like it had to be made with the knowledge of at __least__ one of your parents._

_It's very well hidden when the trapdoor is closed. Now I'm going to have to be even more thorough in my search for the last two hidey-holes, knowing that you had help in the creation of at __least__ one._

_Found some interesting things in this hidey-hole. Let me guess, that felt hat with a tuft of fur attached to the inside brim once belonged to Teddy, right? It matches his bowtie and the fur matches the mysterious bald patch on his head. I'd love to know the story behind their separation._

_Anyways, get another scoreboard going, marking another point to my side of the board. Thanks for the 'help' in finding this hidey-hole. I'll keep looking for the other two._

_Damon_

I return her journal and pen to the nightstand. I marvel once more at how seamlessly the trapdoor blends in with the surrounding floorboards, the mark of an expertly-crafted hidey-hole. I pull out the compass I had taken from that hidey-hole. "Time to discover your secrets," I murmur, watching as the needle slowly spins from pointing north to pointing nearly due south. "Where are you trying to lead me?" I ask the compass, getting off Elena's bed and ducking out her window.

I'm going to follow the compass and see where it leads. It's obviously been spelled and Elena obviously only left it behind with great reluctance today. What had this compass been spelled to track? I'm determined to figure it out. I don't bother fetching my car from the boarding house. Instead, I use my speed and vampire abilities to take the most direct route.

The compass leads me to the graveyard, where I spot Elena's car in the parking lot. I proceed to let the compass lead me nearly to the graves of Elena's parents, where I spot her seated with her back against a the tombstone in the next row. I glance at the compass: it's pointed directly at Elena. Giving Elena a wide berth, I circle her, my gaze focused on the compass. It stays glued to her like she's carrying a powerful magnet.

I pocket the compass as I decide to approach Elena. I won't tell her I have her compass. I still have to figure out _why_ it pointed to her while I was holding it. I'm sure that's not what it points to when _she_ holds it because that would be pointless. If I can figure out what the compass was spelled to do, then I can figure out why Elena's determined to keep it a secret.

Once I secure the compass in my inside jacket pocket, I approach her from the direction of the entrance of the graveyard, allowing my feet to disturb the gravel enough to alert her to my presence. She looks towards me and smiles. "Hey," she says.

"Hey back," I reply in our typical fashion, taking a seat next to her and leaning my back against the tombstone behind us, mimicking her position. I nod to her parents' grave. "Come to visit them?" I ask gently.

"Sometimes I miss them with a nearly overwhelming ache," she admits. "I have all these questions I'd love to ask them, particularly questions for Mom. But they can't answer me clearly from wherever they are now. Jenna does her best, but it's just not the same as having Mom's advice."

I nod my understanding. After my mother had died giving birth to Stefan, an old slave we had did her best to step into the role of surrogate mother. But it just never was the same as _actually_ having my mother there to talk to. The old slave never had children of her own and just didn't fully understand how a mother acts and reacts.

The same is true of Jenna. She has _plenty_ of experience being the doting, fun-loving aunt. She has _zero_ experience in the role of 'mother'. And because of that, she's struggling to fill the roles of _both_ parents for Elena and Jeremy. It's hard enough filling the role of _one_ parent, much less _two._ It's a good thing for Jenna that both Elena and Jeremy are essentially good kids. Sure, Jeremy had gone off-track for a while after the crash, but my compulsions on him after the druggie's final death got him straightened out again.

I sit in silence next to Elena as she holds whatever silent conversation she's having with her dead parents.

**Elena**

As Damon and I sit in silence, I wonder why I had sensed him circle me once before approaching. Every other time I've sensed him nearby since the compass heightened my Damon-radar, he's come directly to me. But today he circled me at a far enough distance that I couldn't see him well enough to make out more than that _someone_ was circling me. If it wasn't for the fact that I could sense it was _him,_ I would have freaked out. As it is, I'm simply confused.

But I shove those thoughts away for now, knowing if Damon was going to explain himself, he would have done so immediately. That he didn't means he'll keep his reasons to himself for now.

I return to my silent conversation with Mom as I luxuriate in being in Damon's company and free of the awful side-effects of the compass for a while. I had taken the risk this morning and left the compass behind, hoping being separated from it would allow me relief from the side-effects, which are stacking up each time I follow it. No such luck. The side-effects are still as strong as ever.

'Mom, I wish I could talk to you about everything I'm going through and get your advice. Given your choice of bedtime stories you told Jer and I, I _know_ you'd keep the secret from Dad. I _know_ you'd be willing to give Damon and Stefan a chance to prove their worth rather than automatically label them monsters for what Katherine did to them,' I think, tracing Mom's name on the double gravestone with my eyes.

'You'd know what I'm struggling with and be able to give me advice on what I should do. Do I _give in_ to these feelings I have for Damon that are growing stronger by the day? Do I trust what the compass Bonnie spelled is trying to tell me? Will that make me like Katherine, given that I was with Stefan first? Or did breaking up with him absolve me of any chance of becoming like that bitch?

'Mom, I'll always wonder about your cause of death. We didn't have an autopsy performed on you or Dad. But I will always wonder about your death. Were you already dead when the water started rushing in the car? Or did the knock on the head you suffered merely knock you out and you ended up drowning first? I'll never have the answer to those questions. I _know_ Dad ended up drowning while Stefan was getting me to safety. But your death will always be a mystery. Because there was no autopsy, I have no way of knowing if there was water in your lungs.

'But Jenna and I decided that we couldn't postpone the funeral even for an autopsy to be performed. That would just have postponed the closing of that chapter of our lives and we agreed we couldn't do that to Jeremy.

'Mom, I wish I had _some_ sign I'd recognize from you on what to do about Damon and my feelings for him. Do I take the risk and tell him how I feel, hoping he feels the same way about me? Or do I wait for a sign _from_ him that he's ready to start a new relationship? Mom, please, wherever you are, give me a sign I'd recognize on what I should do!'

I sigh and resettle myself into a more comfortable position. Suddenly, without warning, the _one_ stray cat in Mystic Falls that had even won Mom's heart runs up to Damon and meows at him. I feel like ice water had been dumped on me. Is this the sign I had asked for?

Damon looks at the cat. "What's with you, cat?" he demands.

I watch in shock as Lucky, as Mom had called the tomcat with half a tail and a shredded ear, playfully bats Damon's leg before climbing in his lap to nuzzle my hand. "Hey, Lucky," I greet the battle-scarred warrior-kitty I haven't seen since Mom's death. "Where've you been hiding, buddy?"

"Elena, you _know_ this cat?" Damon asks.

"This is Lucky," I introduce. "He's a stray that had managed to win Mom's heart with his battle scars. I haven't seen him since before her death. Normally, he _hates_ men, which is why I'm so confused as to why he's all over you." 'Mom, is this your sign, telling me that I should give in?' I think.

Lucky nips my fingers, purring his heart out while kneading Damon's pants leg with his front claws. "He is totally destroying my jeans, Elena," Damon complains, but I can tell he doesn't really mind. He cautiously reaches out a hand to scratch Lucky behind the ears. "Do you have any idea what scarred him so badly?" he asks.

"I only know the story behind his tail. A cruel and vicious outsider took garden shears to it because Lucky used his prized potted petunias as a litter box. He was instantly chased out of town when Mom caught him at it and spread the word. Mystic Falls will not stand for such cruelty in someone living here. Mom paid the vet bill on that one, but only half his tail could be saved. The other half was too badly mutilated," I reply.

Damon grimaces. "I will never understand how people can be so cruel to something that can't fight back," he says softly.

"I've asked around town many times, but nobody knows the story behind Lucky's ear. In fact, nobody knows where Lucky came from or even how old he is. Even the oldest residents in town insist Lucky has _always_ been around and his ear has _always_ been like that. They swear they remember him being around when they were kids, still having that shredded ear.

"Because of that, I've recently started thinking maybe he's a supernatural cat. But it's not like I can just ask _him._ Mom _swore_ that he spoke to her when they were alone. But _I've_ never heard him speak in any language other than cat," I say, reaching over and scratching the base of Lucky's tail, one of his favorite places to be scratched. "All I know is his eyes hold far more intelligence than any other cat I've come across and he always seems to understand _exactly_ what I'm saying to him."

Damon gently lifts Lucky up to look into the cat's eyes. I _feel_ Damon's Power uncurling from within him to swirl around the three of us. Suddenly, Lucky pops Damon on the nose with a paw, interrupting whatever Damon had been doing and causing Damon's Power to curl back within him. Damon blinks and settles the cat back onto his lap.

"You're right that this is not a _normal_ cat," he says cryptically, returning to scratching the cat behind the ears.

**Damon**

That mental contact I made with 'Lucky' was definitely the most unusual I've _ever_ experienced. 'Lucky' is by no means a _normal_ cat. There is a keen intelligence in that mind, on par with that of a vampire. But he's _not_ a vampire trapped in cat shape. No, 'Lucky' can choose what form he appears as the same way I can when I choose to shape-shift into a raven or a wolf. But whatever 'Lucky' is, he made it _very_ clear that he's _not_ a vampire.

That's nearly all I got out of the mental contact before he used his considerable Power to kick me out of his head simply by smacking my nose with his paw. I wonder just _what_ 'Lucky' is, exactly. But he's not about to reveal any more of his secrets to us. All I do know is that when I was a human boy, _I_ had met and befriended 'Lucky' in another form, the form of a stray dog I had called Skylark. That's all he would let me know of his thoughts.

Whatever 'Lucky' is, he is _definitely_ a supernatural being that is near immortal, like vampires. Normally, I'd think 'vampire' when thinking of near immortal supernatural entities. But this creature, whatever he is, he made it _very_ clear that while the only way he can die is by being killed, he doesn't drink blood to fuel his existence like vampires.

I wonder if he'll ever let us know _exactly_ what he is. He looks at Elena, meows again, nuzzles my fingers one last time, then runs off in the direction of the woods. I wonder when I'll see him next and what form he'll take in that meeting.

"I wonder if his showing up when he did was a sign from my mom," Elena murmurs.

"What do you mean?" I ask curiously.

"I asked my mom for a sign I can understand about some questions I have. Immediately afterwards, Lucky showed up when I haven't seen him since her death. I wonder if he was sent as a sign," she replies.

"Never know," I say softly. "All I know is he is by no means a _normal_ cat. In fact, when I was a human boy, I had known him in another form altogether. That's almost all I got before he kicked me out of his head."

Elena looks at me, obviously startled by my words. "Is he a vampire?" she asks, knowing I have the ability to shape-shift and that most vampires can gain the ability with practice.

I shake my head. "I don't know _what_ he is, but he made it _very_ clear that while he _is_ nearly immortal, he is _not_ a vampire. I don't even know what his real name is. When I knew him as a boy, he was a stray dog I called Skylark and took the time and effort to befriend. He made it clear that while he can be killed, he will never die a _natural_ death. But I could tell as soon as I touched his mind that I was not in contact with the mind of a vampire _or_ a cat. He's something else altogether and is _extremely_ powerful."

"If he's so powerful, why did he allow someone to mutilate him like that?" she asks.

"You'll have to ask _him,"_ I retort. "As you said, it earned him favor with your mom. Maybe that's part of it."

Elena sighs and pushes herself to her feet. I rise as well, sensing she's about to depart. She has plenty to think about, what with 'Lucky' revealing part of his secrets to us. For that matter, so do I. I still have to figure out the secrets of this compass and why it led me to Elena.

"Well, I should be getting home. Jenna's going to be wondering where I am if I'm not back soon," she says, glancing at the rapidly sinking sun.

While I know it's barely six in the evening, the sun is setting earlier and earlier as winter fast approaches. "I'll walk you to your car," I say, falling in step beside her as she starts making her way to the parking lot. I watch as she drives off until her car disappears around the corner that will take her home.

Then I check for witnesses. Finding none, I take off for the Boarding House. I still have to figure out this compass.

10pm, Gilbert House

**Elena**

I've finally finished with everything I have to do tonight and completed my nightly routine. I'm now sitting on my bed, my journal in my lap. I open it to where I had left off and roll my eyes at discovering another entry from Damon. As I read it, I feel a chill of terror run down my spine.

After I finish, I leap out of bed and wrench open the trapdoor to my hidey-hole. I lower myself inside and check to see if my compass is where I had left it. It's gone! I search the whole cubby-hole before I accept that Damon must have taken it.

Oh, God, was he following it when he circled me today at the graveyard? The thought has me terrified because following it wakes up its side-effects, I've discovered. I had followed it a third time two days ago and woke up even _more_ side-effects, which is why I tried separating myself from it to see if being away from it would at _least_ reduce the intensity of the side-effects.

One of the newest side-effects is that now the compass invades my waking thoughts as well as my dreams to show me the path I would take to get to Damon and gives me the urge to follow that path. The other new side-effect to wake up was that now it's getting harder and harder to wake myself up from the dreams it gives me at night, causing me to be further and further along the path to Damon before I wake up.

This is bad! If _Damon_ starts suffering those side-effects, he'll be sure to figure out what the compass does. And I don't know how he'll react. With a sigh, I lift myself out of the cubbyhole and close the trapdoor properly, sick with worry over what Damon will do when he figures out the compass's purpose.

I climb back in bed and make the new scoreboard, adding another point to Damon's side and removing it from mine. Then I proceed to my journal entry.

_Dear Diary,_

_What I wouldn't give to turn back the clock to this morning! In my rush to not be late for school, I inadvertently left Damon the perfect opportunity to discover another hidey-hole, one of two I use for things I don't __ever__ want found._

_Damon actually took something from there that I wish he had left alone: a compass Bonnie had spelled two Saturdays ago. I'm not going into detail on what she spelled it to do, but I do know that each of the three times I followed it woke up new and worse side-effects that now make it difficult to concentrate on anything else._

_I hope Damon doesn't choose to follow the compass. He'll end up suffering these side-effects, too. And I have a feeling the side-effects won't stop until we give in to what the compass is telling us._

_Well, Diary, it's late. I should get some sleep because I still have school tomorrow._

_Elena_

* * *

Sarah: and that's it for Chapter 4. Next chapter, Damon figures out the compass's secrets. I bet your curious as to what will happen then. Well, until next time, review and tell me what you think of the story so far and what you want to see happen next.


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